Finding a beneficial use for the large quantities of agricultural waste material produced in the world has been a pursuit of interest to agriculturalists for a very long time. Although many clever innovations have been made, there is still a problem of disposing of this waste in a useful manner. Additionally, there is a constant search for inexpensive building materials. Again, although much progress has been made in this area, there is still a need for additional options in construction materials.
The structural qualities of straw, in its natural undamaged form, provide significant compressive strength. Compressive strength is precisely the type of strength needed in building materials that are used to support heavy loads. In the prior art the structural integrity of the stalks is lost in two ways. First, in the way the straw is bailed for transportation to the building material fabrication facility and, second, in the way the straw is processed into building material. First, in the prior art the method of bailing straw crushes and breaks the straw stalks so that its natural integrity is injured before even beginning the processing phase. Second, when the straw is processed into building materials it is compressed into a dense mass under heat and pressure. In the process the straw is further crushed, hence further losing its natural structural integrity which, in turn, results in the loss of the straw's natural compressive strength. Accordingly, building materials made from straw, under the prior art, are not capable of supporting the necessary weight without the addition of wood as a framing material, or as a skin applied to a straw panel to give it strength. In addition to preserving compressive strength, maintaining the structural integrity of the straw, by not crushing it, also allows for retention of its natural hollow core which has significant insulation value.